Overview
Could you see yourself working on the water? Are you looking for a career outside of the office? Do you enjoy new challenges every day? If so, pursuing this Career Interest certificate in Maritime Transportation might be right for you! The San Jacinto College Maritime Transportation programs offer United States Coast Guard (USCG)-approved and internationally recognized Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) maritime training and deck level course work for those wanting to become professional mariners. Training prepares students for entry-level deckhand careers typically on inland vessels and gives them a strong base to then move up into the industry.
Our staff consists of USCG-approved Vessel Captains and Officers, and former US Navy, US Coast Guard, Merchant Marine Officers, and skilled technicians with more than a century of combined experience who make the learning experience both effective and enjoyable.
The San Jacinto College Maritime Transportation Career Interest Certificate AND Certificate of Technology programs:
- Provides students with USCG-approved instruction to be capable, knowledgeable mariners;
- Provides instruction, actual experience, and course work to become a professional mariner; and
- Offers hands-on maritime courses which are stackable to allow students to eventually pursue Associate Degree in the future if they chose.
Career Opportunities
Texas plays a significant role in maritime transportation, leveraging its extensive coastline along the Gulf of Mexico and its strategic position in global trade routes. The state’s maritime infrastructure consists of multiple major ports, numerous shipping facilities, and a strong focus on shipping, oil and gas, and logistics industries.
Texas ranks first in the nation for both domestic and international freight with its waterways, handling almost 50 million tons of freight shipments each year and has been the top exporting state for 13 years.
The Port of Houston is the largest port in Texas by tonnage and is consistently ranked in the top 1-2 ports in the US in terms of total tonnage. The Port of Houston handles a wide range of cargo, including bulk commodities like petroleum products, chemicals, and machinery. It is one of the most critical ports for energy exports, particularly oil and natural gas.
Texas waterways and ports support approximately 1,170,000 jobs and contribute $264 billion to the state’s economy. These lucrative jobs hold great potential for professional growth and advancement in the maritime transportation industry.
Earning Potential
Sailors and Marine Oilers: $58,533 per year1
Captains, Mates, and Pilots: $121,587 per year1
1 Source: Texas Wages, median salary, Gulf Coast Region
For more information, students may contact 281-459-5483 or sanjacinto.maritime@sjcd.edu.
Campus
Maritime Campus
Information
San Jacinto College developed the Maritime Transportation programs at the request of an advisory committee comprised of members from the maritime industry. Maritime is a semester credit hour program that incorporates US Coast Guard (USCG)-approved training into the semester credit courses. This training provides instruction to prepare students for a future career as a mariner on board vessels. There are 3 credit programs offered:
- Career Interest Certificate – 18 credit hours- 1 year (2 terms) to complete
- Certificate of Technology- 35 credit hours- 2 years (5 terms) to complete
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Maritime Transportation- 60 credit hours
Students must be able to obtain a Transportation Worker’s Identification Credential (TWIC) during the first semester. This process will be discussed in classes.
All US Merchant Mariners are credentialed by a branch of the US Coast Guard-National Maritime Center. It is important that students be able to obtain a Merchant Mariner Credential. Students must be able to pass USCG background check, drug and alcohol testing, security screening, medical, and professional standard requirements set by the US Coast Guard. Students will also be required to don full fireman outfits for USCG fire fighting assessments. Likewise, students will be required to tread water for two minutes as well as complete the swimming course as listed on the Plan of Study.
Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.
All Maritime Transportation courses with the NAUT rubric are held at the
San Jacinto College Maritime Training and Technology Center
3700 Old Highway 146
La Porte, TX 77571
Students may call the Maritime Center for additional information at 281-459-5483.
Plan of Study
4MARITIME
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Term | Credits | |
| NAUT 1305 | Introduction to Ships and Shipping | 3 |
| NAUT 1315 | Basic Safety | 3 |
| NAUT 1320 | Seamanship I | 3 |
| PHED 1142 | Fitness Swimming | 1 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Term | ||
| NAUT 1230 | Marine Engineering Familiarization | 2 |
| NAUT 1345 | Marine Cargo Operations | 3 |
| NAUT 2310 | Seamanship II | 3 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Summer Year One Term | ||
| NAUT 2364 | Practicum 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Term | ||
| NAUT 2415 | Terrestrial Navigation | 4 |
| NAUT 1255 | Maritime Law and Regulations | 2 |
| NAUT 2205 | Basic Stability and Vessel Construction | 2 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Second Term | ||
| NAUT 2330 | Radar Observer Unlimited | 3 |
| NAUT 2301 | Able Bodied Seaman and Lifeboatman | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 35 | |
Capstone Experience: NAUT 2301 Able Bodied Seaman and Lifeboatman
- 1
Practicum is an internship on commercial vessels offered during the Post Yr1 summer term of the program.